The Past is the Future
by Storga
Summary: The Battle of Hogwarts ends and Death grants his master a wish. Harry travels to the past to make a difference and to correct a misinterpreted prophecy. Potter rescues Snape from his abusive father, but will Severus repay the favour? What happens when Harry returns to Hogwarts and his son is the potions master? – Time Travel - Powerful Harry — Temp Hiatus to finish 600k WIP series
1. Chapter 1

Disclaimer: These are not my characters, and I have no intention to copyright. The world and characters belong to JKR, and I'd like to thank her for supporting fanfiction.

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Harry slumped against the wall and tried to ignore the search parties calling his name. Why couldn't they leave him alone? The media wanted an interview, the Aurors wished to discuss his role in the Battle of Hogwarts, and sycophants sought his friendship. Nobody cared about the ones he lost or his need to grieve. The boy-who-lived did it again, and this time Voldemort would never return.

Hurried footsteps rushed past the hidden youth and he overheard a derogatory sneer, "Why should we look for the git?"

"Mother protected Potter from the Dark Lord, and we need his statement to save her from Azkaban." Harry easily recognised the voice, but it lacked its usual arrogance. Why didn't the Aurors arrest Draco? Was he on the run?

Harry held his breath and waited for them to pass. He wouldn't allow Narcissa to suffer the same fate as her husband, but he needed time to organise his thoughts. Everything he knew had been a lie. The tiny glass vial no longer held memories, but it comforted him to hold it. Why didn't Snape tell him? The potions professor derided him and loathed his presence, but he sacrificed everything to protect the ungrateful boy-who-lived. He owed Snape his life, and Harry regretted his hostility towards the man. If only he had known. "You deserved better. I wish things could've been different."

A deep gravelly voice penetrated his mind. "What would you change?" A dark presence stepped soundlessly from the wall and kneeled before the cloaked youth. Harry eyed the hooded figure warily; it looked like Voldemort's incorporeal form. Did he miss a horcrux? An oppressive aura pressed against him and his instincts screamed at him to flee, but the recent battle made him too numb to care. Harry wouldn't run. "Forgive me, Master, I had no wish to startle you."

He failed, but Harry kept that to himself. "Are you Death?"

"Indeed."

Great, now he could add conversing with Death to his already impressive portfolio. Who would believe him? Harry rolled his head to the side and groaned. "I threw away the stone."

"However true, it changes nothing." Death wanted to scowl at the annoying youth and invoke his worst nightmares, but magical bindings forbid him from acting against the Master. What was he thinking when he created the Deathly Hallows? Oh, yes, he enjoyed watching the chaos while humans lusted after its power. He expected no one to get it. "You gained control over the Deathly Hallows, and your core absorbed its magic. Mr. Potter, I can only serve one Master."

Harry fondly recalled Dumbledore talking about the Deathly Hallows, but the eccentric headmaster said the oddest things. He never believed the tale. "What do you want from me?"

"I ask nothing from the Master." Death wanted to strangle the youth for wasting his time, but foolish arrogance created the deplorable situation. He dreaded the next trip through the Veil. How would he show his face? Death, bound to a mortal. "It's within my ability to grant your wish, so I must offer my services. What do you seek?"

"I wish Tom Riddle never discovered magic."

Higher powers protected the Dark Lord, and they forbid Death from interfering. "Voldemort used traditional ideology to justify his atrocities. His actions horrified liberal families, and they turned away from pureblood philosophy. The war needed to happen, but many died unnecessarily." Death recalled the thrilling battles, brutal slayings, and the mortals begging for their lives. The delightful memories caused intense pleasure, but he needed to focus on the loathsome task. "Master, you could prevent their suffering by venturing to an earlier time."

Was Death offering a second chance? "Can I save my parents?" Harry rarely felt hope, but it surged through his veins and he looked into the blackened orbs with a pleading gaze.

Potter's desperation filled Death with sadistic glee, but a painful jolt ended his good mood. His jaw clenched in agony and he answered through gritted teeth. "The attack against House Potter was etched into the timeline. Nothing could change or alter it." The punishing pain ended, and Death silently cursed his magical bindings. "You fulfilled the prophecy the night your parents died, but Dumbledore misunderstood. He believed the Dark Lord needed to kill you. His machinations allowed Voldemort's return, and he caused the second wizarding war."

Harry fisted his hair and tried to absorb the information. Severus, Sirius, Cedric, Remus, Tonks, Fred, and so many others died for him to fulfil a spent prophecy. Dumbledore manipulated the events, but Harry blamed himself for their deaths. Anguished eyes gazed at Death and he struggled to speak. "Why did you allow them to die?"

Death considered answering the question, but he decided against it. The truth would anger the master and he didn't wish to test the magical bindings. He'd remove them if he could, but the Higher Powers considered them a fitting punishment for interfering with mortals. They seriously lacked a sense of humour. "Harry Potter, you can save them. Did Miss Granger discuss the limitations of time travel?"

"We need to avoid our other selves." Harry didn't understand why Death offered his assistance; he didn't seem like the helpful sort.

"Mere mortals cannot venture beyond their lifespan, or they cease to exist." Death felt immense satisfaction when arrogant wizards believed they mastered time travel and ventured beyond normal limits. Oh, how he loved to watch their horror when they realised their error and slowly vanished from existence. Death imagined the youth fading from reality, but it would erase him too. He could not allow that. "Our connection enables you to use my lifespan. The Master of Death has an unlimited ability to travel through time, and you'll suffer no magical limitations."

Harry wondered if Hermione knew about the other complications because she never withheld important information. She would've said something. "What happens to our abilities?"

"Timeline deviations cause imbalances in magical cores, and they won't regenerate. Mortals don't know how to reset them, but I do. You'll suffer no ill effects." Death assumed Granger understood the consequences of time travel, but he overestimated the girl. It tempted him to give her information about an advanced time turner, but the lawful little witch would ignore it. He despised mortals who followed the rules. Perhaps, it would entertain him to taunt her with forbidden knowledge. Yes, he would try that; his master would never suspect a thing. "Do you wish to venture to an earlier time?"

Harry tried to hide his eagerness, but he failed miserably. "Yes, I'm ready." A gentle breeze blew across his face and grew in intensity. Howling winds tore at his clothes and ripped the invisibility cloak from his clutches. Harry chased it through the dungeons and into the Great Hall. He expected to see the dead and those grieving their loved ones, but he walked into blackness.

The floor slanted to the right and violently threw him to the ground. A muggle living room formed around him and came into focus. Where did Death send him? A loud shout erupted from upstairs followed by the pleading wail of a desperate woman. "Tobias, he's just a child!"

"Eileen, I won't warn you again!" Someone flew into the wall and a deep voice angrily shouted, "It's your bloody fault the boy has magic!"

Potter grabbed for his wand but it wasn't in his sleeve. Patting down his pockets found nothing. Did he leave it at Hogwarts? " **Accio Wand!** " Tins clattered behind the bookshelves and a quiet knock caused them to part. A hard wooden object flew into his hand, and his fingers reflexively curled around its cylindrical surface. The pale wand wasn't his, and it tugged uncomfortably at his core.

It felt wrong, and it didn't like him, but would it work? A childish whimper filled him with urgency and Potter sprinted up the stairs to find a woman desperately pleading through a closed door. She noticed the intruder and fearfully glanced at his wand—no, hers. Eileen's head shook, and she whispered so her husband couldn't hear. "He'll kill my son if you threaten him with magic."

The drunken brute yelled and a belt connected with flesh. The agonised wail sounded younger than Harry expected, and he no longer cared about the muggle's fear of magic. Potter crashed through the door and shouted, " ** _Petrificus Totalus_** _."_ The huge man stiffened with arms held at his sides, and he fell to the ground without moving. The wand became unbearably hot and burned Harry's hand. It absorbed too much magical energy, and he feared retaliation if he used it again. Was it a dark object?

Severus heard an unfamiliar voice, and something thudded against the floor. He refused to look, or leave his bed. Tobias would kill him for getting up without permission. Who was the stranger, and why did mother allow his interference? Severus had many questions, but none of them mattered. Tobias would blame everything on him and beat him for using magic. A tear leaked from his eye, but Severus brushed it away. Boys didn't cry, and he knew to hide the evidence from his father.

Potter looked at the scene in disgust. It infuriated him to see the small boy with his back exposed for punishment, and an angry red mark heightened his anger. Why would anyone harm a child? His gaze hardened in accusation and he strode towards the fearful woman. She should've stopped it! "My mother died protecting me, and you sat in the hallway crying while a brute beat your son!" He knew the woman acted in fear, but it sickened him.

Tears fell freely from Eileen's eyes and she huddled against the wall for protection. She agreed with the unknown intruder, but she felt helpless against Tobias. Guilt and desperation forced her to plead, and she hoped he would understand. "He would kill us if I did anything! What would you have me do?"

"Take Severus and leave." Potter glared at the useless muggle. The abusive man didn't deserve a child, and nobody had the right to strike their family in anger. Potter detested the drunk, and the power he held over the demoralised woman.

"Where would we go?" Tears became sobs and Eileen turned away. She knew they needed to flee, but she felt trapped. She had nowhere to run. "We can't return to the wizarding world, and I know nothing about muggles." Eileen motioned to her bound husband and suppressed a shudder. She detested him, but he was their only hope. "We can't survive without him."

Severus squeezed his eyes and prayed the man would take them away, but his mother always protected the drunken brute. He hated the stupid muggle! Severus fearfully glanced over his shoulder to get a better look at the unknown intruder. The man had messy black hair and a lightning bolt scar. Was that a curse mark? He read about them, but he didn't recognise the pattern.

Potter glanced at the woman's wand and wondered why she kept it hidden. Why would an adult refuse to use magic against an abusive muggle? "Why can't you return to wizarding society?"

"Surely you jest." Potter shook his head, but Eileen didn't believe him. Nobody was that clueless. "I'm Eileen Prince, the ungrateful daughter of a pureblood wizarding family, and the last of my line." His brows rose without comprehension and she doubted his ignorance, but she would play his game. "I'm the witch who shamed her father by eloping with a muggle and rejecting an arranged marriage to Abraxas Malfoy."

Potter didn't know the woman, but he liked her. She humiliated the Malfoy family by choosing to wed a muggle instead of their heir. "They embraced the dark arts and used their wealth to corrupt the ministry. You made the right decision." Harry intended to comfort her, but she looked shocked by his response.

Tobias could hear everything and Harry wished to remove him from the room. The muggle received a dismal look, and Potter thought about his options. ' **Mobilicorpus** ' would help, but he couldn't cast without a wand. Did Eileen know the spell? Harry motioned to the prone muggle and watched the man rise from the ground. Did he do that? He glanced at Eileen for confirmation and saw her staring at him in wonder. How did he cast wandless magic? Death would have an answer, but he didn't want to summon him. He levitated the muggle from the room, and used wandless magic to cast privacy wards. "My name is Harry Potter. I came from the future to protect your son."

Severus had never seen wandless magic, and he believed the teen had more strength than Albus Dumbledore. Why would a powerful wizard travel into the past for him? An answer came to mind shortly after forming the question. Severus would become a powerful and important wizard! Why else would Harry protect him? Future greatness caused his chest to swell, and Severus asked with a confident tone. "Did I send you?"

Eileen hid her shock behind an impassive mask. "Why is the boy of interest to someone in the future?"

"He was the bravest man I ever knew," Potter said with a saddened voice.

"I died." Severus didn't expect to live forever, but the news unnerved him. It helped that he had a heroic death.

"I never said..."

Severus folded his arms and sneered at the teenager. "Yes, you did. You talked about me in the past, and you only do that when people die."

"How old are you, four?" Harry asked in disbelief. The child sounded much older, and Harry realised he misjudged his former potions master.

Severus snarled at the insult and haughtily raised his head. "I'm almost six."

"You look younger." Potter ignored the child's angered glare because he didn't want to offend Severus by laughing at the adorable expression. It lacked the coldness and ferocity associated with the adult wizard. Harry turned towards Eileen and glanced uneasily at the downtrodden woman. "Mrs. Snape, I hold no animosity towards you, but I can't leave Severus with that abusive man. You may join us, or you can stay with Tobias and grant me legal guardianship over your son. Those are your only choices."

Eileen wet her lips and swallowed. Was the teenager offering her a way out? "Do you have a plan?"

Potter smirked helplessly at the woman and reached for his money pouch. Why didn't he visit Gringotts? "No, but anything is better than this. I can find work in the muggle or wizarding communities, and I have money left over from school. It might last a month." He dumped the pouch on a nearby dresser to see how much he had. Galleons poured across its surface and spilled to the floor in a golden wave. He struggled to close the pouch, but the powerful flow overwhelmed him. Gold flooded the room and rose to his waist before he could make it stop. Harry heard grating laughter within his mind, and he silently cursed Death for not warning him.

Severus stood on his bed and gaped at his protector with a flummoxed gaze. Was that his allowance? There were thousands of Galleons, maybe even millions. "How much do you spend in a month?"

Eileen scowled at the youth's flashy display, but his vivid flush spoke of something else. Did he expect a lesser amount? "Yes, you're definitely a Potter. Charlus never hesitated to flaunt his wealth when he wanted a woman's attention."

Harry didn't think it possible for his cheeks to grow hotter without melting, but they did. The flustered youth tugged on a drawstring and watched the Galleons soar into the pouch. He waited until the bag resealed itself. "Those weren't there, I swear. I only had a few Galleons for school and I kept the rest in my vaults."

Severus looked fascinated by the news, but it conflicted with his prior knowledge. "Why would you have more than one vault? Mother said they grow bigger, and Gringotts won't allow families to have two." Eileen looked no less confused, and she waited expectantly for the answer.

Potter smirked at the inquisitive little boy and thought about his response. The Black family had three girls and two boys. Why would they lack an heir? Who would believe the devastation caused by an insane lunatic? "Many died in the wars, and I became the heir of two pureblood wizarding families. Gringotts allowed me to keep the vaults separate until I examined their contents."

Eileen sat on the bed, but she didn't look convinced. "You seem decent and you have the means to support my son, but how can I trust you to protect him when your tongue will get you killed. Do you plan to use your real name and tell everyone about the future?"

A blue aura surrounded his hand and the Potter family ring vanished, but a new one replaced it. He spun it around his finger and studied the unfamiliar crest with a quizzical expression. "What just happened?"

Eileen approached the young wizard and took his hand in hers to study the mysterious item. "What can you tell me about the other ring?"

"It had the Potter family crest. It magically appeared on my seventeenth birthday, and I could never remove it."

Eileen smirked at the confused teenager and gently teased. "Were you raised by muggles?"

"Yes."

Severus tensed at the answer and stared at his mysterious hero. "Did they like magic?"

Eileen meant the comment in jest, but she didn't seriously consider it a possibility. Why would muggles raise the heir of two pureblood wizarding families? It made little sense. She wanted to know more, but decorum prevented her from asking.

Potter smirked helplessly at the little boy and shook his head. "They hated magic, and they despised me for having it. They called me a freak, and I knew nothing about the wizarding world. You can imagine my surprise when a half-giant appeared at my door to deliver a letter for a magical school."

Severus gaped at his wondrous hero. "Did—did they beat you too?"

"That's enough." Eileen gently scolded her son.

Severus stopped talking and shamefully glanced away. He stared at the floor to avoid his protector's gaze. He tried to behave, but he always caused trouble.

Potter wished to comfort the crestfallen boy. He painfully remembered yearning for adult approval and feeling unworthy. Harry kneeled on the floor and wrapped his arms around the suddenly still form. Severus didn't pull away, but his arms stiffened at his sides. "Why did my ring vanish and this one appear?"

Harry spoke about wars, and pureblood wizards being raised by muggles. What happened to the magical world? Eileen wouldn't ask, but she hoped he came from the distant future. "Anyone can wear a family crest, but your rings are those worn by the head of house. Magic deemed you worthy of an ancient and noble family; Mr. Peverell, wear your crest with pride." She smirked at the youth's astonished expression and asked, "What are your plans for a background story?"

Potter grinned mischievously. "I'll tell them a partial truth. Power crazed wizards hunted the Peverell family to find the Deathly Hallows. It forced us to live with muggles, but I wanted to rejoin magical society."

Severus rolled his eyes and snorted in disbelief. "That's stupid; the Deathly Hallows is a myth."

Eileen smirked at her son and grinned at the futuristic youth. "It's a perfect story. Most people agree with Severus, but insane wizards like to believe in children's fables."

The Master of Death grinned at the woman and her child, but he wouldn't correct them. "Mrs. Snape, will you join us?"

Eileen wanted to believe their youthful protector, but her father made his opinion perfectly clear. "Magical society won't accept me."

Potter couldn't see the liberal families objecting to her presence. "You can't believe all wizards agree with blood purity."

The woman nodded and shamefully looked away. It caused the young man to groan inwardly about bigoted wizards and their outdated ideals. "Have you introduced Tobias to anyone?"

"No."

Potter patted his money pouch and grinned impishly at the reluctant witch. "Tell them you married me, and you were unaware of my magical legacy."

Eileen rolled her eyes and smirked at the whimsical teen. Youth thought they knew everything. "How do you intend to explain our age difference? Do you expect people to believe I married a younger man and delivered his child before he graduated from school? Besides, my son looks nothing like you."

"Severus and I have the same hair colour and thin physique. We can say his nose came from my father, but he has your high cheekbones. What about potions? Can we use them to alter my appearance and make our story more believable?"

The smug little boy pushed dark locks from his face and arrogantly boasted, "I know two that can do that. One changes your hair and another darkens your eyes." Severus enjoyed talking about potions and he spoke with too much enthusiasm. It made him sound cocky. "Did you hear about those?"

The tiny know-it-all reminded Potter of a certain bushy haired friend; Professor Snape would murder him for noting the similarities. "No, I'll need more information."

Severus folded his arms and snorted. "Obviously, you had a lousy teacher. Didn't you learn anything?"

Potter grinned helplessly at his future potions master. "You never trusted me in the lab, and you always condemned my brewing skills. It wasn't my favourite class."

"I was your professor?" Severus asked with a horrified expression, and he received a slight nod in answer. Apparently, he made an error in his earlier assessment. The little boy grunted at his protector and snidely commented. "You must be a dunderhead."

"Severus!" Eileen scolded with an expectant gaze.

"Mum, you heard what he said!" The little boy protested, but his mother's angered glare silenced him. How could she get mad at him for speaking the truth? Severus did nothing wrong, but he got into trouble. He blamed the dunderhead. His gaze fell to the floor, and he muttered. "I'm sorry." Severus didn't mean it but his mum expected him to say it.

Eileen narrowed her gaze at the future potions master; his manners appalled her, but that discussion could wait. They needed a plan, and she had an idea. She left for a hidden room behind the muggle bookcase and returned with an old tome opened to a specific page. "A blood adoption potion allows you to become his father. Severus will inherit physical and magical traits from you."

"It'll turn me into a dunderhead!"

"Severus!"

"What?"

"You know what!" Eileen glared at the scowling little boy, but he wisely accepted his mother's warning and decided not to comment.

Professor Snape would agree with the child's assessment, and Potter dreaded his reaction. Would the man ever forgive him for using the potion? "Is it safe?"

Eileen nodded and glanced at the child in question. "Purebloods use it to hide fertility or infidelity issues. Mr. Peverell, it may surprise you to learn what happens when a traditional family can't produce an heir." He didn't want to think about it, and she flipped to another page without waiting for a response. "This potion permanently ages you by five years. Are you willing to use it?"

"Yes."

Eileen eyed the over confident youth. "You don't know me. Why would you want to become my husband?"

The little boy stopped scowling and looked at his protector with a pleading gaze. Severus desperately wanted to escape his abusive father, and he didn't care about Potter being a dunderhead. It had advantages.

Potter cast ' **Muffliato** ' to prevent Severus from hearing his explanation. "Eileen, your son vowed to protect me and he gave up everything to keep me safe. It forced him to avoid friends and family. He treated me like an enemy, and I didn't trust him. He saved my life on several occasions, but he never took credit and he kept me oblivious of his true intentions."

Potter gave the child's shoulder a gentle squeeze, but Severus responded with an annoyed glare. The boy didn't appreciate adults keeping secrets from him. Potter released the spell and finished his explanation. "Eileen, I can't promise you a real marriage, but I'll never humiliate you by showing interest in another. Our fake relationship allows me to enter wizarding society without drawing suspicion, and we can give Severus a better childhood. Will you marry me?"

Tobias happily threw Severus at the other man, but he didn't want to lose his wife. Eileen used obliviate; he forgot about them and the magical world. A thousand pounds convinced a willing clerk to alter the muggle registry. Eileen Prince eloped with Harry Peverell in 1957, and not Tobias Snape. Records at the ministry updated automatically to match those held by muggles.

The potions took a week to brew, and another month to complete the changes. Potter aged ten years, but he kept the body of an active Quidditch player. His arms and legs rippled with sinewy muscle, and he boasted a well defined chest. It almost compensated for the silver hair. Did the potion cause premature greyness, or was that an inherent trait? They hoped it was the brew.

Severus kept his abilities, and he didn't become a dunderhead. Nothing else mattered to the little boy. Eileen swore his hair became less manageable, but the longer length kept it from looking messy. She also noticed a smaller nose.

Eileen wanted to re-enter wizarding society, but they needed a house. They bought a small country manor that sat on ten acres. It had eight bedroom suites and several rooms for entertaining. Severus called it a mansion, but Eileen compared it to a summer home.


	2. Chapter 2

**Chapter Two**

Potter stood before the large glass wall in his oversized study and gazed at nothing while he contemplated the past six months. Tumultuous thoughts overshadowed the tranquillity offered by a natural paradise. How could he protect Severus? He initially blamed Tobias for ruining the man's childhood, but Potter noticed another oddity within their little family.

Eileen showed affection when Severus approached her, but she never sought his company. Potter suspected she had attachment issues, or an inability to bond with others. It made Severus feel unwanted. Potter tried to compensate for Eileen's inattention, but would it be enough?

The move from Spinners End complicated their situation because Severus never met Lily. What would happen if they didn't became friends? They would never miss what they didn't have, but Severus and Lily fought four Marauders to protect their friendship. It mattered to them, and Potter respected their decision. How could he arrange their first meeting?

Potter had his grandfather's eyes, and not just their colour. He made the shocking discovery when he gathered information on the Evans family. Potter noted the size, shape, eyebrows, and the natural slant of his eyelids. Their physical similarities worked to his advantage. A familial relationship would decrease tension between Snape and the Marauders, because James competed with Severus for Lily's affection. It made him their biggest target.

They needed a believable familial connection that didn't involve time travel. It forced Potter to search muggle libraries, graveyards, administrative records, and orphanages for information about the Evans family. It took several months to develop an acceptable background story, and a little administrative magic to make it credible.

When did Snape meet Lily? Potter didn't have the answer, but his son needed a playmate. "Severus, let's go to the park."

A pale hand brushed black hair from a thin face, and a dark-eyed youth glanced at his father. Severus carefully closed the book and swung his legs from the sofa. Eileen would scowl at his feet being on the furniture but this was his father's study. "I'm not finished my homework."

"We won't tell your mother." Potter didn't worry about Eileen noticing their absence.

Severus set the book on the coffee table and stretched until his back popped. "Did you skip school or miss assignments when you were my age?"

Aunt Petunia accused Potter of cheating if he scored higher than Dudley. It forced him to play dumb because he needed to eat and he didn't enjoy being locked in the cupboard. He completed the work, but he seldom submitted it. "Yes, I missed assignments and received poor grades."

Severus rolled his eyes, but the answer didn't surprise him. "That explains it."

"What?"

"Dunderhead,"

Potter smirked at the opinionated child, but he didn't take offence. It had become a game, and both knew to keep it from Eileen. Harry removed their wizarding robes and gave a potion to his son. "It'll help with the nausea."

Severus grimaced at the familiar brew, but it wasn't the taste he hated. It meant side-along apparition, and he would do anything to avoid it. "Can we take the floo?"

"No, we're travelling to a muggle neighbourhood." Potter apparated them to a wooded area near a playground. He hoped to find Lily, but he knew nothing about their early friendship. "Look for me by the creek when you want to return home."

Severus eagerly nodded and ran quickly down the dirt path ahead of Potter. He wasn't a baby who needed parental supervision. He stealthily walked across the freshly cut grass and saw two girls playing on a swing. The younger one waved at him with an affectionate smile, and he raised his arm to return the friendly gesture.

"Petunia, watch this! I can fly!" The small redhead jumped from the swing at its highest point and slowly floated to the ground.

"Lily, you can't do that!" Petunia shrieked with a childishly shrill voice. "Do you want to die? You'll get hurt and mum will blame me!"

Severus never met another magical child, and he felt an instant connection with the redheaded witch. He eagerly ran towards her and instantly forgot what he meant to say. He didn't want to look stupid, so he indiscreetly pointed his entire arm at Potter and whispered loudly enough for the girls to hear. "You must never use magic around muggles. Do you want to anger the ministry, or cause trouble for my father?" They wouldn't care about accidental magic, but scolding her was easier than an introduction.

Petunia eyed the new arrival with an appraising gaze. The youth wore leather shoes, elegant trousers, a tailored blazer, and a crisply ironed shirt. She glanced at his distinguished looking father and noticed the exceptional quality of his attire. Fortunately, Eileen bought their clothes. Petunia smiled warmly at the wealthy child and secretly hoped he had an older brother. "We never meant to cause trouble. Will you please introduce me to your father, so I may apologise?"

"Magic, is that what I did?" Lilly giggled delightedly and glanced to where her new friend pointed. The man looked too young for silver hair. "What are muggles?"

"You don't know about muggles?"

"No."

Severus swallowed a sudden lump that threatened to choke him and nervously glanced at his father. Did he break the Statute of Wizarding Secrecy? "Muggles don't have magic, but you used it to fly." His dad would know what to do, but first he needed to introduce himself. "My name is Severus Snape Peverell. May I have the pleasure of knowing yours?" He hated Madame Shelby and her stupid etiquette lessons, but his mother forced him to take them.

The little redhead giggled softly and glanced at him with familiar eyes. They looked like his father's. "I'm Lily Evans, and Petunia is my older sister. She just turned eight, but I'm six. How old are you?"

"Six." Severus gently grasped Lily's delicate fingers and kissed the back of her hand, and then he did the same for Petunia. "I'm pleased to make your acquaintance, Missies Evans."

Petunia smiled delightedly at the posh little boy and eagerly followed him to the dignified gentleman. "Do you live near here?" She felt immense satisfaction when he answered with a shake; wealthy people didn't live in rundown neighbourhoods.

The earlier secrecy breech concerned Severus, so he tried to distract his dad with a perfect introduction. It might make him forget the other matter. "Father, I'd like you to meet Missies Lily and Petunia Evans."

An overly enthusiastic redhead interrupted Severus with the last thing he wanted to hear. "Can you tell us about magic?" Potter would know he broke the Statute of Wizarding Secrecy, and Severus guiltily avoided looking at his father. Would they send him to Azkaban with all the other criminals?

A large palm landed on Severus's shoulder and gave it a gentle squeeze. The friendly gesture offered reassurance, and he hoped it meant he wasn't in trouble. "Father, Lily is a witch."

Petunia scowled at the arrogant little boy and slapped him upside the head. "Who do you think you are? You can't go around calling people foul names!"

Potter wished Petunia would embrace that belief, but experience suggested otherwise. "I'm Harry Peverell. Please forgive my son because he meant no insult." Severus nodded in eager agreement. "Our society refers to men as wizards, and women as witches. It means you have magical abilities." Lily opened her mouth to ask a question, but he shook his head and glanced over his shoulder. "We can't discuss this in public. Can you arrange a meeting for me with your parents?"

Severus tugged Potter's sleeve to get the man's attention; his father needed etiquette lessons. The dunderhead didn't know how to introduce himself. "Father, you should say Lord Peverell, because the head of an ancient and noble house uses that title."

Potter smirked at the little know-it-all, but he would add that comment to his journal. He intended to give the book to Snape after he met Hermione Granger. "Why must I use a title?"

Severus folded his arms and haughtily glared down his nose at Potter. It wasn't an easy feat for the small child, but he gave it his best effort. "Madame Shelby says so."

Petunia stared at the noble with a gaping mouth. She knew it; they were wealthy! She offered the gentleman her friendliest smile and tried to act dignified, but nervous titters ruined the effect. "Please follow me, milord, and I'll take you to our parents."

Was Aunt Petunia flirting with him? The girlish giggles reminded Potter of Ginny when they first met. He regretted the comparison because he didn't want to see any similarities between the two women. "We can ignore formalities. You're the daughters of Harold Evans, are you not?" Potter wished to make a good first impression, and he hoped Petunia would accept magic. The boy-who-lived would suffer if he failed.

"Yes, they are," spat a furious man who quickly moved between the girls and Potter. "I'm Harold Evans." The charismatic silver-haired stranger didn't look threatening, but he recognised a predator when he saw one. The man stared longingly at his youngest daughter, and he rarely took his eyes off Lily. It sickened Harold to the core. "Why do you want to know?" He didn't care about the answer, but he refused to leave the man alone in the park. Neighbours looked out for one another.

Tiny hairs rose on the back of Potter's neck, and he turned to face his angered grandfather. The meeting took an unexpected turn. "Mr. Evans, it would seem I've given you the wrong impression." Potter hated talking like an arrogant pureblood, but he needed to play the part to gain Petunia's favour. "Allow me to introduce myself; I am Harry Peverell."

"Fine," Harold growled without taking his eyes off the silver-tongued predator. "You aren't from around here. What do you want?"

Potter tried to work around his shocked emotions, but the unexpected hostility confused him. Was his mother the only cheerful person from that family? Potter's gaze lingered on Lily while he contemplated the situation, but it didn't last long. A sudden movement startled him and his jaw erupted in pain. An acrid metallic fluid filled his mouth, but he didn't have time to think.

Evans followed the first punch with a solid thrust into his gut, and quick footwork threw Harry to the ground. Harold wasn't a physical man, but nobody would harm his daughters. The pervert had no decency! He glowered at the fallen predator and watched with a satisfied grin when Potter heaved. Partially digested food mixed with blood and spewed across the grass. "Your kind isn't welcome here!"

Petunia shrieked. "You almost killed Lord Peverell!"

"Dad" Severus screamed fearfully and ran to his father's side. He kneeled beside Potter and fretfully tried to protect him anyway he could. Arms wrapped around the man's head, and then his neck. Severus wished he could heal Potter, but he had no potions. He felt useless and angry. Dark eyes narrowed into a cold glare and he scowled at Evans. "You stupid, bloody, muggle! My father will turn you into potions ingredients!"

"Severus, that's enough!"

"...but Dad..."

"No, I mean it." Potter wrapped a comforting arm around the small child and ignored the painful screams from his abused gut. "Severus, you acted brave and I appreciate your help, but I don't like to hear you swearing. Do you understand?" He received a slight nod and the little boy pressed his head against his father. Potter pulled Severus to his lap and wrapped his arms around the suddenly quiet child. "Mr. Evans, I've spent ten years searching for my brother. Can you imagine my shock when he has a daughter who looks like our mother?"

Harold expected a physical retaliation for the unprovoked attack, but Potter ignored his pain to comfort the boy. The man held his temper and whispered soothing words instead of angered retorts. Evans never expected that reaction from a predator. Was he mistaken? Emerald green eyes mirrored his gaze, and he knew the man spoke the truth, but he needed answers. "How did you learn about our relationship?"

"Mother shared her secret minutes before losing consciousness." Potter glanced at the man and answered his unasked question. "Polio"

Howard slowly nodded. A severe polio epidemic swept the country in 1956, and people referred to it as the 'Deadly Summer.' Evans would never forget the fear that gripped the nation, and the terror experienced by those with younger children. "What did she tell you?"

Severus stilled in his father's arms and nervously nibbled his bottom lip; hugs turned little boys into girls. Tobias saw it happen! Did Potter want a daughter instead of a son? Was it too late? A hand snaked to his crotch, and he gave it a little squeeze. Relief surged through his body. He loved cuddling with his father, but he wanted to stay a boy.

Potter saw the surreptitious squeeze and quickly glanced around the park. "Severus, do you need the toilet?" The little boy shook his head, but Harry suspected otherwise. Why did children wait until the last minute? "Mr. Evans, may I call you Harold?"

"Yes." Harold always wanted to find his family, but the emotional chaos confused him. Overwhelming joy mixed with loss and rejection. Did he mourn what he never had? "What did she say about me?"

Potter glanced hesitantly at the children; he needed to altar the story. "Please listen between the lines because little ears shouldn't hear certain details." Evens smirked knowingly at the man. "We share the same mother, but we have different fathers. The 1937 World's Fair attracted thousands to Paris because people craved respite from the rising hostilities. Our unwed mother travelled with her friends, but they parted ways at the German pavilion. The bolder girls posed beside immodest male statues, and our mother left to look at other displays. She met an entrancing young man and spent the day in his company. Their activities resulted in an awkward predicament, and her father took it upon himself to rectify the situation. It wasn't her choice."

Evans stared at Potter with a watery gaze, but no tears leaked from his eyes. "She wanted me?"

"Yes."

Lily glanced between Potter and her father with a confused expression. "What activities?" The man used too many big words, but she knew that one. They had an activity centre at school, and she loved playing in the sandbox.

Potter pressed his lips together, but he wasn't about to admit the truth. "Ask your father."

"Thanks, I'll remember that, dear brother." They shared too many physical similarities for Evans to doubt their familial connection, but he regretted his earlier actions. Their meeting could've gone better. "Harry, I'd like to apologise for attacking you earlier. I assumed you had bad intentions towards my daughters."

Why would he hurt us? Petunia glanced at her wealthy uncle and a sly smile spread across her face. "Are we nobility?"

Evans cocked an eyebrow at his younger brother and questioned the man's integrity. "What have you told my children?"

Potter wanted to tell them everything, but not in public. They could react poorly and draw unwanted attention. He reached into a tiny pocket on the front of his blazer and retrieved a quill, an ink bottle, and parchment. Potter wrote down their address and passed it to Howard. "Our family has many secrets, and we need to discuss them." Evans glanced at the decorative pocket and slowly nodded; they had enough space to hold a single coin. "Please join us tomorrow for the evening meal."

Evans watched his mysterious brother return the items into the impossibly small pocket. Was he a magician? "I must discuss this with my wife. What is your number?"

How would he explain not having a phone? Potter glanced at his grandfather and tried to think of a response, but Severus had it covered. "Wizards don't use phones."

"Is that so?" Evans asked with a fond smile; his nephew had a wild imagination.

Children! They complicated everything. Potter wanted to brush the topic into a nearby rubbish bin, but the man eyed him with a questioning glance. "We live in an ancient manor without electricity. It's difficult to explain, but you'll understand when you see it."

Harold smirked at his younger brother and shook his head. Why would Petunia mistake them for nobility? "I'll ask my wife and give you an answer." He never paid attention to social functions, and he depended on her reminders. Howard returned fifteen minutes later and joined his odd little brother. The man sat on a bench near the creek and watched while the children played on the swings. "Tomorrow is good. Angeline wishes to bring a salad, and she wants to know if you need anything else."

"I appreciate her kind gesture, but it'll offend our servants." Dobby would panic about being a bad house-elf. Potter received a shocked nod, and he politely excused himself to retrieve a suddenly quiet Severus. "Son, what's the matter?"

"Nothing,"

"Did the girls do something?" Potter noticed a small altercation between Petunia and his son, but nobody tattled or forced him to interfere.

Snape glanced at him with watery eyes and shook his head. The child's hands hovered protectively over his backside and alerted Potter of a potential problem. "What did you do?"

"Nothing,"

"Severus," Potter said with a warning growl. The little boy refused to answer. "Son, tell me what you did, and we can work together to fix the problem." Snape shook his head. "Honesty will lighten a punishment, but lies will make it worse. You don't want me to find out from someone else."

Severus stared guiltily at his father and tried to look innocent. Would the stupid girl tell him; did he want to take that chance? No. His gaze fell to the ground, and he muttered something below Potter's hearing, but his father made him repeat it. "Petunia is mean, and she called me a dumb boy."

"What did you do?"

Why did he keep asking? "I threw sand in her hair, but she deserved it!" He did nothing wrong!

"Was that when she yelled at you?" A slight nod and a soft sniffle answered his question. "She shouldn't call you names, nor should you attack her. How do you plan to fix the situation?" Potter smiled fondly at his son and thought about the boy's unnatural maturity. Severus acted older than he should, and Harry appreciated when he behaved like a child.

"Apologise?" It was the last thing Severus wanted to do.

"Yes, and she should do the same." Potter didn't expect an apology from either child. Petunia refused to accept anything that would blemish her reputation, and Severus fearfully covered his mistakes. Harry never struck or spanked his son, but that didn't matter. The boy expected it.

"Ok." The girl called him names, and dad wanted him to apologise. It wasn't fair! He should've punched Petunia and pushed her in the sand, but he didn't. No, he refused to apologise to that annoying girl, and nobody could make him. Severus glanced warily at Potter's hand and quickly averted his gaze. Would his father beat him? He choked back a fearful sob, but he refused to cry.

Potter kneeled on the ground to comfort Severus. He placed a hand on the child's shoulder and another on his hip. The little boy averted his gaze and looked anywhere but at his father. "Son, I'm proud of you."

"Why?" His traitorous voice sounded unsure, and his eyes threatened to leak. Tobias tried to strengthen him, but he fled the beatings like a bloody coward. Severus sniffled and wilfully held back his tears; Potter could never discover he had a weakling for a son.

Was Severus terrified of being beaten? Potter hated Tobias and what the man did to his son; no child deserved to live in fear. "You're a brave little boy with a good heart and a strong mind. I couldn't ask for a better a son."

Tears slid past his defences, and Severus buried his face against Potter. He felt arms wrap around him in a comforting embrace, and his feet left the ground. Did his father think him a toddler needing to be carried? Severus should retaliate against the infantile treatment, but he didn't. Hesitant arms wrapped around his father's neck, and more tears followed. The little boy couldn't hear the softly spoken words, but the tone had a calming effect.

Potter slowly walked through the forest with a quietly sobbing child. Severus had so many reasons to cry, but the little boy steadfastly refused. The catharsis was long overdue, and Potter wanted to encourage his emotional release. He gently rubbed his son's back and thought about the future. He would merge with an alternate self at the exact moment he left the original timeline. Snape would be twice his age, but that didn't matter. Severus would always be his son.

Death heard his master's thoughts and barely resisted cackling at the youth's naivety. Oh, he was in for a surprise. The careless child knew nothing about time travel, or the consequences of rash decisions. Death had seen their future, and he saw what happened when Potter met his younger self.

Grating laughter rumbled loudly in Potter's mind and made him leery. It was always a bad omen.


End file.
